The title of my post is a quote from from the Salon article, and here's more:
If the party of working- and middle-class people wants to really be the party of working- and middle-class people, then, it needs to confront the fact that it has no answers for this problem. And part of the reason for that is that it’s spent the last 30 years abetting the neoliberal policies that have made it so. In order to stay “relevant” in the ’80s and ’90s, leading Democrats acceded and thus provided political legitimacy to free trade, financial deregulation, welfare reform and the decimation of organized labor — sugar pills that stimulated economic growth in the short-term, but in the long-term only gutted middle- and working-class economic security. The result is that Democrats and Republicans no longer have credibility among working people. Democrats are the only party that ever had it, though — and when they did, they enjoyed the most enduring political coalition of the 20th century. Do they want it back?
IMO, the purpose of the Democratic Party should be to serve the interests of its constituents -- the working and middle classes of this country (vast majority of Americans) -- not the corporate fat cats who fund their political campaigns.
The key to success for the Democratic Party is to convince voters
we have a purpose and it is to build a better future for them and their children. Craft a set of policies to achieve those goals, back it up with actions, and articulate a positive message consistently with confidence and with passion. Fight back against GOP lies and false narratives, but stay on the offensive with a realistic plan for progress.
Do that, and a huge chunk of the 63.4% of voters who stayed away Nov 4 just might go to the polls with a purpose next time.
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